agree totally... its bloody ridiculous

No players can't speak for themselves. There was the tale on the radio recently of a footballer who was sat at home watching his TV when the window cleaner knocked on his door. The guy didn't want his windows cleaning but, rather than get off his 'arris and answer the door himself, he rang his agent and asked him to speak to the window cleaner and tell him 'Not today thanks'

There was also the player who's fridge freezer broke down and had to call his agent about getting a replacement as he simply had no idea how to go about it.

It's all down to the agent telling his player 'Don't you worry about anything other than kicking that ball about. I will deal with all other aspects of life for you. Now then, that'll be £XXX,XXX,XXX. Thanks'

Is it just me or does this football agent business seem ridiculous - can football players not speak for themselves?
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No its not ridiculous in the slightest, agents by and large are know the ins and outs of the law, negiotiation and such and are able to get there clients the deal they deserve.

There could be crucial aspects missing if players were negotiating there own deals, hence why they employ someone to do it for them.

if they could, they would. And miss out paying them a fee.

Let's not forget there are also lots of clubs that will want to get as much from the player as possible, shirt sales etc! In others words "mug them off"! I believe agents are a way of ensuring the footballer is not taken for a ride and not getting as much as possible. My concern and disgust at agents is the horrendous fees they charge, it's horrific I remember the first mandaric year we spent somthing like 25% of the total transfer fees in agents!

Okay, I understand that you would want to make sure the contract is right so whats wrong in doing what ordinary people would do and verifying it with a solicitor before signing? Surely a 30 minute appointment for a solicitor to run through it would suffice?

It's because players know if they hire an agent the agent can squeeze every penny they can out of the club without having to deal with the confrontation and squabbling themselves, which to me seems cowardly. At the end of the day an agent couldn't care less what a club thinks, whereas a player (hopefully) might.

Clubs should be able to put an offer on the table and the player should either decline or accept, which is what happens in the real world. IMO players rule the roost far too much, which is why you get situations like Tevez, Balotelli etc

jimifox - I do understand what you are saying however, at the rate footballers get paid, I doubt they'd ever get taken for a ride and I'm sure the clubs wouldn't do that to them either, as if the club is offering a contract, the club obviously would not want that player to go elsewhere

'negiotiation and such and are able to get there clients the deal they deserve.'

'Let's not forget there are also lots of clubs that will want to get as much from the player as possible, shirt sales etc! In others words "mug them off"! I believe agents are a way of ensuring the footballer is not taken for a ride and not getting as much as possible.'

FGS they aren't in the slave trade. They get paid loads to play football, that should be enough. What could they possibly 'mug them off' about? They're hardly going to put in smallprint 'Player will not actually be paid' or 'if player scores a hat-trick he is agreeing to not be paid that week since he already gets the matchball and a bottle of champers'.

I agree with Blackpool, players are given too much power nowadays and it's led to situations like this Tevez thing, agents have too much of a role and I don't think they are needed to the extent that they are used, it's not good for the game.

Players often make out clubs will try to 'take them for a ride' but they fail to mention that that's because they are trying to do it first. They are not interested in the club or the fans they are just trying to squeeze the club for as much money as possible, and manufacture stories that they are going to other clubs for that reason.

Footballers are ruining football!

Agents are people that come down from the hill when the battle is over and shoot the wounded. Rather like Consultants.

Interesting discussion, and not black and white. My heart is with Blackpool, and I do believe that a relatively small number of agents are abusing their position and having a damaging effect on certainly the image of the game, and maybe on the game itself.

But I don't quite buy the idea of the compassionate club which will always do right by its employees, and I doubt that many of us on here would be happy to rely on this for our talented young footballer son. And it's horribly evident from every third interview one sees on the box that many footballers haven't the wit to negotiate an extra sugar for their coffee.

I'd be happy to see some of the bigger clubs (starting with Man City, PLEASE) stand up to the egomaniac players and their money-grabbing agents), but I don't think one can paint all agents with the same brush. I guess there are plenty with a small stable of League 3/4 (old money) journeymen who earn their corn fairly enough, doing much the same kinds of things that one pays a solicitor to do.

Maybe it's time we fans got agents to negotiate our ticket prices...?

So how many people on here used an estate agent when buying a house?

Don't get me started on estate agents...

what is it with people thinking that all agents are bad news?

Let me tell you a few facts;

without them, players would not be protected. they need agents to check all contracts as many a club will leave out important info, especially lower league.

players without clubs need agents more than the big boys as the agents are the guys with the contacts at all clubs. what player has every managers number and can negotiate his own move?

there are a few bad eggs out there yes, but most of us do it for the love of the game. we dont make half as much money as people believe.

some agents come into it knowing one superstar and make enough money off a few moves to live well forever and so they dont care who they upset, they are the boys that give the rest a bad name.

there are also people (mostly ex players) that are player advisors!!.......this means that they have not taken the exam and have not got the insurance.......they do all the work but have an agent to sign it off. these "advisors" are the people that poach and promise the world to the young boys!!

people like myself though do it for the good of the game and so we do everything properly so that we are still respected 40 years down the line!!!

there are not many, but if you can get an agent that is a friend, works hard, and stays with you until the end of your career.........he is gold dust!

UTF

An interesting insider view, thanks U9344. Nobody in this thread has suggested that all agents are bad news.

No your right mailing, but that is the general feeling out there........

U9344 agents have similar problems to the players themselves - its the actions of a minority (mostly at the top of the game) that set the reputation for everyone.

It's more the footballers that I blame than the agents. The Footballers are essentially 'the boss' and are basically giving agents instructions to squeeze the club for every penny they can.

I just don't like people making out that players are victims, or that they can be compared to us. They are in a unique position and the fact that most of them don't realise how lucky they are means I struggle to relate to them. I don't mind them getting paid well but they should be grateful for it and it shouldn't be the most important thing when choosing a club. Don't make the mistake of thinking Tevez is the only a-hole out there.

I don't see any fundamental difference between players, actors, musicians etc etc – 'talents' of all kinds need specialist representation to help them make the right decisions and get the best deals. You don't hear people moaning that Katherine Jenkins should think herself lucky that she can sing, and that she should just take whatever EMI offer her. Or that Gary Oldman should be grateful that people are prepared to pay money to see him dress up in funny clothes and show off.

There are, however, a number of agent-related practices that should be not only outlawed but stamped down on. The two – legislation and enforcement – don't always go together. There's plenty of 'turn a blind eye' attitude out there. Think how many 'rogue agent' scandals have revealed that the clubs themselves were up to their necks in the wrongdoing.

For example, an agent should never, under any circumstance, act on behalf of more than one party in a deal. Cases have come to light where an agent supposedly acting on behalf of a player has taken a 'facilitation fee' from a club that wants to sign the player. The conflict of interest here is outrageous – the agent is clearly being bribed to offer his client biased advice.

Any agent caught soliciting a payment from a third party should be banned forever – and any club offering such a payment to an agent should have the book thrown at it in similar manner.

Fatfox you are dead right - agents can't represent players and clubs in same deal, it is against regulations

Other issues are agents that act for clubs, they then go and poach the players without their agents knowing, just to get a cut from club, and ig is not always in the players best interest